Bear Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park is a well-known spot for nature photographers. Most of the shots you will see of said lake are in any season but winter - for good reason if you don't enjoy the cold and wind.
What you cannot see in this photograph was the extreme wind gusts and the near, or below, zero temperatures of this excursion in the winter of 2009. Nevertheless, I awoke early and hiked out to the lake to prepare for what I hoped would be a stunning sunrise.
As the magic moment approached, I was out on the ice that, come spring, will be the water of Bear Lake. The sunrise on this particular morning was not stunning as I hoped. Nevertheless, there were several moments of sheer brilliance. What caught my eye in this particular scene was how the light of the sunrise was reflecting off the ice below.
I truly believe that nature has numerous ways to show her beauty. Where this typically happens in the warmer months, it is not constrained by any means.
This image is available for purchase.